Mounting clip for mirrors and the like



Jan 13, 1953 l.. FERLISE 2,625,080

MOUNTING. CLIP FOR MIRRORS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. s, 195o INVENTOR. a o UA'- ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 13, 1953 MOUNTING CLIP Fon MrRRoRs AND THE LIKE Louis Ferlise, Middletown, Ohio, assignor to The Philip Carey Manufacturing Company, Lockland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 3, 1950, Serial No. 177,444

'l' Claims.

This invention relates to a ldetachable clip for mounting mi-rrors and similar panels upon a backing or support therefor and is intended particularly for mounting safely and in a simple manner, a mirror upon the sheet metal door of a wall cabinet such as the standard houshold medicine chest.

Cabinets such as these typically are provided with doors consisting of va sheet metal panel bounded by side flanges which include lateral face flanges bent inwardly and overlying the sheet metal panel. The metal panel forms the inner surface of the door, the side flanges rigidity the door and provide the necessary thickness land the face flanges provide a seat engageable with the marginal edges of the mirror to sustain it at spaced relationship from the inside panel. The mirror lies over th-e ydoor face, with its surface exposed in e. clean attractive manner.

It has been the practice to secure the mirror of such :a cabinet in position upon its support flanges by means of metal clips which overlie the edge of the mirror and have their body portions secured to the sheet metal frame. The clips customarily `are applied at spaced intervals along the mirror edges and exert a pressure against the edges of the mirror to clamp it against the seat ange. A metal-to-glass connection of this nature requires very careful fitting because the connection must not be tightl enough to strain and possible break the glass, and on the other hand, it must not be loose enough t-o allow the glass to rattle when the door is opened and closed.

One of the primary objects of the invention has been to provide -a clip of simple one-piece construction adapted to be inserted laterally into openings formed in the edges of the cabinet doo-r capable of locking itself securely to the door and arranged to exert a yieldable clamping pressure upon the edge of the mirror to hold it against the seat flange. The yieldable clamping pressure exerted by the clips is sufficient to restrain the mirror against undersirable looseness and rattle, yet it is not sufficient to produce local-ized strain which may lead to breakage of the glass if the door inadvertently is slammed shut.

A further object of the invention h-as been to provide la simple clip which is substantially concealed when in operative position, so that the clean face of the Who-le of the mirror remains unobstructed to retain its attractive appearance.

A still further objective has been to provide a clip unit which, in conjunction with the cabinet door, is of self locking, self sustaining nature but which may be removed conveniently in the event the mirror which it holds becomes broken or must be replaced.

to engage the mirror face; a second portion adapted for interlocking engagement with the mirror backing or door frame of the cabinet and a third portion, residing intermediate the other two, adapted to engage the facial flange of the miror backing or cabinet door and thereby exert a yielding clamping pressure to draw the mirror engaging portion toward the backing upon Which the mirror is to be mounted. Interlocking engagement of the clip with the cabinet door is completed upon insertion of the clip into the aperture intended to receive it and, under the yielding pressure exerted by the intermediate portion of the clip, interlocking engagement is maintained to -prevent inadvertent detach-ment of the clip from the assembly. However, by the insertion of a tool or instrument between the edge of the aperture and the clip, the clip may be sprung to permit easy removal thereof from interlocking eng-agement with the cabinet door, and it may then be withdrawn from the aperture, as m-ay be necessary if the mirror becomes broken or ydefaced.

When a number of such cli-ps are applied at spaced points along the edge of the mirror, the clips by virtue of their yieldability, naturally eliminate variations in Kpressure engagement against the glass; consequently the glass is gripped under substantially uniform pressure by the collective clips to prevent the formation of localized strains due to Warpage of the sheet vmetal door or other cause. This is an important feature of the invention because the thickness of commercial mirror glass, whether bevelled or not. varies unless special precautions are taken at commensurately greater expense to hold the dimensions to precise tolerances. The clips of the present invention are adapted to be used either with plain edge glass or bevelled edge glass, clips for usage with the latter differing in construction from those for the former only in respect to the `angles at which the mirror engaging portions of the clips are formed.

In its preferred construction, the cabinet or mirror backing door is provided with a metal lip across its lower or bottom edge extending beyond the f ace flanges and providing a seat upon which the mirror panel is rested. Thus the major weight load is supported upon the lip while the mounting clips hold the panel rmly clamped in mounted position. The apertures which anchor The improv-ed clip, briefly, consists of a one piece unit, fabricated of spring metal, constituting `a yieldable clamp having one portion adapted the .clips may be stamped or blanked out at very small cost during the stamping and forming of the sheet metal door unit, and the clips, after insertion, cover the apertures, thus presenting a neat, trim appearance. The clips are installed in a rapid, convenient manner simply by pressing them into the apertures by hand or with a simple pressure tool.

In the preferred construction, a pair of diverging yieldable limbs are bent generally inthe form of a wedge, a-nd a connector or shank portion is bent laterally from the lower limb, at the diverging end of the wedge, so as to reside in contact with the side ilange of the cabinet door. The free end of the shank portion includes an ear adapted to overlie the edge of the mirror and draw it firmly into clamping engagement against the seat ange of the cabinet door or backing. The 4aperture to receive the clip, located in the side flange of the cabinet door or backing, is slightly smaller in height than the trailing end of the wedge defined by the yieldable limbs, thus causing the limbs 'to be compressed toward one another as they are pressed into it.v For interlocking connection, the lower limb is providedwith slots adapted to snap into or straddle lugs respectively formed in the edge ofthe aperture when the limbs are fully inserted. IVhus, the limbs may expand slightly when the slots register with and slip overthe edges of the lugs, to lock the clip in a positive manner against withdrawal from its aperture. In this. manner, the yieldable limbs develop a yieidableY force, effecting pressure engagement of the clip Vear against the mirror face and additionally provide an automatic snap engagement of the limb with respect to theaperture. The clip is capableof being removed by springing upwardly the lower limb, which engages `the lugs of the aperture, then withdrawing the clip outwardly from the aperture. Such removal can be accomplished by inserting a screw driver, ice pickor.sirnilar `tool betweenthe lower limb and edge of the aperture which may be recessed slightly for this purpose.

The clips are exceedingly simple and economical to manufacture and may be fabricated from resilient metal such as spring steel, spring brass or the like by stamping and bending. In order to provide an attractive appearance, the clips are preferably plated and buffed to impart a bright surface finish to them, corresponding in appearance to the mirror'silvering'l Various sizes of mirrors may be mounted by use of ythe clips, the larger sizes being accommodated bythe provision of anchorage apertures spaced according to the size and weight of the mirror to be mounted.

Various features and advantages of the invention will be more fully disclosed in the following detailed description taken in connection with the drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure l is ar face view of a. wall cabinet door, showing generally the arrangement of the mounting clips relative to a mirroig'a portion of the mirrorbeing broken away to illustrate the face flange and cushion pad against which the marginal vedge of the mirror is clamped.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side` elevation of the lower portion of the door, illustrating a clip anchored in its aperture and in clamping engagement against the marginal edge of the mirror, and showing the lip at the lower edge of i the mirror backing for supporting the lower edge of the mirror.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 3 3, Figure 1, detailing the mounting clip structure and its pressure engagement within lthe door flange, the normal unstressed position ofthe yieldable limb being indicated in broken lines.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4 4, Figure 3, further detailing the clip, particularly its locking engagement with the lugs of the door flange aperture.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a clip to the aperture in a side flange thereof.

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of the mounting clip illustrating particularly the slots for locking i f the clip in its aperture.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary cross sectional View similar to Figure 3 illustrating the locking aperture ofthe mirror backing prior to insertion of the mounting clip therein.

-Figure 8- is a view similar to Figure 'I showing the progressive compression of the diverging flexible limbs during insertion of the clip but prior to the final engagement of the locking slots with the aperture lugs.

Figure 9 is a view similar to Fig. 5l showing a modified form of clip adapted to be used in the same manner as the clip'of Figure 5 but having additional advantages.

Described generally with reference to Figure 1, illustrating a typical wall cabinet door installation, the backing `for the mirror is formed of sheet metal constituting a rectangular panel I 0 having a pair of marginal side flanges I I which delineate the thickness of the' door.' The outer edges of side flanges II are provided with iii-turned marginal faceV flanges I2 against which the ,mirror panel I3 is clamped by. the clips indicated generally at I4.V In order to cushion the mirror,

' "there is provided` a series of ycushion. pads I5 which are' formed preferably of felt, these .pads being interposed between the face flange I2 and mirror I3. In the present example, vthe mirror is mounted by four clamps, .two on each side and a cushion .padIS is applied adhesively to-the flange in a position adjacent the 'respective mounting clips. f- Althoughshown and described in its application to a-mirror, thepresent invention contemplates utilization of ther-improved clips generally inthel mounting cf panels which require safe vand-reliable attachment to a sheet metal frame back-or other structure.

As shown in Figuresz and 4, the side Aflange II of the'door is provided witha vseries `of apertures I6, one foreach clip. Eachaperture extends from the marginal face flange I2 approximately to thecenter lineofy the side flange. Each aperture is slightly'greater iny width than the clip I4, to permit theclipto be insertedfreely within the aperture, widthwise, while'thefheight or depth jof theaperture is lessv than the distance .between the yieldable diverging limbsto produce a snap engagement when the clip is fully inserted.

' In nal position -a's described at a later point,

the clip locks itself positively in the aperture in position to engage the bevelededge Il of the mirror under pressure.

Described in detaiL'the clip I4 consists of a connector portionl adapted to reside along the side flange II `ofthe `mirror rbacking and `I8 includes upon its outer'end an' ear I9 whichprcjects laterally and overliesfthe beveled edge Il Y`of the-mirror.- The I,opposite end of'connector portion I8 is provided withl a wedge shaped vanchorage Isection generally indicatedv at '2U-'which consits ofa pair cfdiverging-yieldable limbs 2I and 22, the lower limb being'bentlaterally-tothe facial portion I8,I 'and the-limb 22v 'being bent reversely fromthe end of the limb b2|'. r"The two limbs normally diverge from one anothenas in- 'dicated by the broken lines'shown in Figure 3, so that there is a .pressureengagement vby the rupper limb 22 against the undersurface of the marginal face flange I 2 when the clip is locked in its final position.; v n

The clip isformed of yieldable metal and may be fabricated by a stamping and bending operation, while kthe cooperating apertures I6 of side `iianges I I also may be formed by a simple stamping operation as a step in the fabrication of the sheet metal backing portion of the door unit.

As shown in Figures 4 and 7, the clip receiving aperture I6 consists of spaced parallel side edges 23-23 joined along edge 24. At the juncture of the side edges 23 and edge 24, the aperture is congurated to provide a pair of locking lugs or tabs 25-25 which serve as keys engageable with the locking slots 2li- 2 formed in the lower limb 2 I at the juncture between the limb and facial portion I8. Each clip of course may be retained by only one key instead of the two shown if desired.

The insertion of the clip is best disclosed in Figures 5, 7 and s. As disclosed in Figure a, the

side edges of limb 2I slide upon the upper surfaces 21 Iof the keys 25, as the limbs 2I, 22 are pushed through the opening, the upper limb bef ing pressed against the underneath surface of parts are so dimensioned that when the ear I9 :f

resides in final position against the face of a mirror, edge 24 will be spaced slightly from the limb 2i, thereby causing the ear I9 to bear against the mirror face lunder the pressure provided by limb 22. Thus the clearance distance enables mirror glasses of Varying thickness within commercial limits to be tolerated Without sacrificing security in the connection of the mirr'or to its backing. It will also be noted that the metal section 28 between the slots 26-26 is substantially equal to the spacing between the locking keys (Figures 4 and 6), such that upon registering with the keys, the notches intert the keys. The keys therefor establish a positive locking engagement with the notches and at the same time the clamping ear I9, by the pressure exerted by the expanding limbs, is brought firmly into clamping engagement over the beveled edge of the mirror'to the position shown in Figure 3.

The mirror thus is clamped firmly against the face fiange I2 under controlled spring pressure, and at the same time the clip is locked securely against withdrawal by the positive engagement of the lugs within the locking slots. In this position there-is vpractically no possibility ofa'ccidental displacement of the clips and the mirror is held firmly and reliably in position to withstand slamming of the door and other impacts without danger of dislodgement or breakage due to concentrated clamping stresses. In their nal anchored positions, the connector portions .I8 of the clips embrace the side flange II and overlie and conceal the apertures in which the clips are inserted thus presenting in assembly a neat, trim appearance.

Although the association of the clips with the door and mirror is a permanent one, the clips are capable of disengagement if breakage of the mirror or other reasons should require removal IZI.

of the clips. For this purpose, the edges 24 of each aperture are provided with a small clearance recess 28, which permits a screw driver or similar tool to be inserted beneath the lower limb By using the screw driver as a lever fulcrumed upon the recess, the lower limb 2I can be forced upwardly against the yielding pressure of the upper limb and disengaged from the locking lugs. It can then be withdrawn laterally from the aperture easily and later be reused after the damage has been repaired or the mirror replaced.

In the present disclosure the mirror backing is provided with a lip or ange extending across its lowervedge to support the weight load of the mirror panel. If desired, this flange may be omitted and the mirror supported upon clips applied to the lower fiange in the same manner as the side clips. Y Y

The modified form of clip shown in Figure 9 is generally similar to the clips just described and diiers primarily in that the connector portion I8, which is adapted to reside against the side ange of the mirror backing. extends at a somewhat acute angle from the lower limb 2I of the clip. By virtue of this arrangement. pressure at the heel 3I of the clip during its insertion causes the upper edge of the connector portion I8 to be sprung when it engages the side flange, until the recesses 26 are in engagement with the keys 25. This arrangement causes the edges of the key recesses 26 to bear outwardly under pressure against the keys, while limb 2| also bears downwardly toward the keys under the influence of limb 22. Therefore, frictionalpressure for maintaining interlocking engagement is greater in this structure, with less possibility of inadvertent detachment. Such clips are effective for supporting mirrors of substantial weight and size, even though the clips themselves are small. Upon insertion of the clip of the type shown in Figure 9 into an aperture, the angular disposition of the connector portion IB also causes the clip to become somewhat canted so that the upper limb 22 approaches or resides in parallelism with the underneath surface of the face flange I2 of the mirror backing. To facilitate removal the free extremity of limb 22 also may be curved downwardly toward limb 2 I By virtue of the construction of the clips as just described, it will be noticed that mirror engagement ears thereof are adapted to tolerate substantial variations in the thickness or bevelling configuration of the mirror glass and yet hold the glass firmly in position on the backing.

In previous mirror clips of the type in which locking engagement is effected in a plane parallel to the plane of the mirror, diiculty frequently was encountered through mirrors becoming loose through variations in the thickness of commercial 'glass, and in addition the clips of the present invention .are substantially easier and less costly to construct.

Having described my invention, I claim:

l. Incombination with a mirror backing having a side ii-ange for supporting a panel or the like, a mounting clip for clamping the panel upon the backing comprising, a pair of yieldable limbs diverging from one another in a plane, thev side iiange of the mirror backing having an aperture adapted to receive the diverging yieldable limbs, one of the said limbs having a connector portion extending laterally therefrom and adapted to reside against the side fiange when the limbs are inserted into the aperture,.the outer end of vthe under pressure against the face iange,'f"saidclip from oneranother in a planegftheside fda-nge of f --the mirrorzzbacking having' an apertureiadapted to- -receive :the 1 divergingV v-yieldabl'f limbs;J alf-con- .:nector'.- portion'lextending laterally 1 from; `one of 'the-said:li-'rnbs` in a. plane-commontof both ofsaid limbs and adapted to reside against-the'fside fsfiangegwhenrtlie limbs are inserted 'i-nt'o the aper- `"Sture, the connector-portion:including'an ear-bent laterally" from-"the extendedffend '-thereoff and 4adaptedfto overlie a panelseated upon-'fthe -face ffliiange, the said yieldabl'e-l limbshaving' .al normal ,f spacing g-reateimthan the depth of "the aperture, 'wherebythe limbs are compressed toward'rone another-upon "-insertionrthereof in? theaperture, v and therebyurg'ethe-'said ear tofpres's-th-mlrror against the' face ange of the mirror backing.

3. The combination of Va mirrorlbacking, a mirroi residingffacially over said backing, and a clip f, for securing the mirror1tosaid backingthe said -clip.k comprising,Y limbslyieldably diverging` from i 'one another in a'planeofI conguration, ai connector extending laterally from the free-end of w one'ofsaid limbs across the freefend ofthe other Land terminating-infan-ea1-residing in the' same -plane 'off configuration as saidv limbs, y adapted to overlie a-facial portionof` saidlvmirronwhenthe connector* portion vofzsaidclip resides adjacent llth'e edgeioi said-mirror., a' sidevvise` portion of said J backing having-an.' aperture therein for --receiving the 'divergingiimbs of .said clip,vmeans=providing '-aldetention key-at saidy aperture, and oneo'f the limbs oi said clip having a .recessior'interlockT ing engagementv'ith lsaid detention key,- the 'l yieldablepressure of saidllimbsinthe saidi plane oifconguration' vproviding afforce forlclamping the mirror between saidear and-said -backing'and .z :tomaintain the engagement of saidfdeten'tion key 4. A clipiadapted tolbel inserted ina. reception .1 aperturezof a sheet metalbacking for clamping a '-mirror or the'like to *the backing, 'saidclip'scomprising interconnected diverging'limbs formed of spring metal and defining a yieldable wedge in 'cross section, one of said limbs vhaving a vconnector portionextending laterally from a freeiend thereof, anearadapted to overlie the edge of amirror `extending laterally from the free end ofsaidconfnector portion' with the' said. ear "overlyingfthe Y other of said limbs andresiding in the'sameaplane of conguration as said limbs, one ofxsaidLlimbs having a reCeSsth'ereincadaptedior reception of .a keyLprovided crrsaidmirrorbacking to interlock .the .clip I'Witli 'thelbacking Whenf the "clip islinserted ini the apertureof -the backing,'the"yield i -able wedgelikerelationship of saidl limbs -pro "viding acompressive force-for clamping a=mirror -betweenasaidfear-andsaid backing when the clip -is inserted inthe backingaperture.

5.' Av mirror mounting"clipfcomprising an-ear A'adapted toreside-against vthe face-of a mirror, a

=connector= portion-Y extending laterally from-said fear and adaptedto resideagainstthe edgev ofthe mirror, a-yieldable'limb:extendinglaterally in the same direction as the ear from'the lend of the connector portion opposite theearysaid yieldable limb terminating in a rever'sel'ybent limb lportion residing intermediate 'the rs't limb and the ear'and-residin'gin 'aplanewliich is common to saidy yieldable'limband to said 'bent limb porlitionythevsaid clip being adapted foruse with a mirror backing yhaving a portionV extending vlaterf'ally from the mirror to Abesupported,"and adapted l for-insertion in an 'aperture in the` 'laterally exf .tending/portion; th'e' limbs of 'ithe said clip, upon "compression, providing fforce' forpressing the 1' mirror between ther-ear and the mirror' engaging vsurface of saidfbackingpone of said' limbs of'said clip'having a-vrecesstherein for-reception of a f loc-king keyl provided on said backing.

The combination of afbacking, apanelfand a clip for holding the panel-to"-thebacking, the backing'having a panel'y engaging member and a member extending laterally theretofthe said latei'ally extending member having air-aperture therein rforA receiving jsaidclip', said climpv fcom- Y prising interconnected diverginglimbsfo'rmed of spring metal,l a connector portionl extending lateraliy from the -'free` end of *one of 'said' limbs across the free end vof the'othcr limb and termi- -"^nating Jin anear overlyingsaid limbsand"resid ingin a'plane common-to saidflimbsfthe' ear being adapted to overlie the'iace of the said panel with the connector portionresiding adjacent the edge of said panel, the'yieldable limbsbeing disposed within said aperture with one of the limbs lbearing onl the Kpanel engaging member of said-'backing and urging-the said ear to draw the panel to said backing through said connector portion, and means associated with said backing for 'locking the'clip within'the aperture.

7. The combination of abacking, apanel and a clip lfor holding the panel to the backing, the

- backing havingV a panel* engaging member and a member extending laterally thereto, the said lat- 'erally 'extending Vmember having an aperture therein for receiving said clip,"said clip'comprising linterconnected diverging Vlimbs'formed of springmetal, a connector portionextending laterally from thefreeend of one of said limbs across the free end of' the otherand terminating' in an ear-overlying saidlimbsl and 'adapted to overlie the face of the said panel with the connector portion residing adjacentthev edge of'said panel,

vthevsaid ear and limbsall residing in a common plane of co'migu1`fation,`the yieldable limbs being disposed Within said aperture with one of the limbs bearing on the -panel supporting member of said backing and-urging the said ear to draw y the panel to said backing through said connector portion, one of thelimbs' of saidvclip having a recess therein, and the lsaid backing having a key engageable with saidrecess upon insertion ofthe clip within Said aperture to interlocklthe'clip with the backing.

LOUIS VF'ERIJISE.

'REFERENCES CITED The .following references are of r4record .inthe file of this patent:

` UNITED STATES-PATENTS Number Name Date 1,966,595 Keefe July 17,1934

2,129,189 Alder Sept. 6; 1938 2,184,893 Lumley 'Dec`. 26; 1939 2,306,023 Lumley v v" Dec. 22, 1942 

